TLSMLMMM Chapter 11

Si Yunyi quietly stared at the little green puppy on the screen, doing a split and nodding, his fingertip sliding upward as he reread the post Chu Junlie had tapped on.

Yan An had returned earlier than expected, and the Yan family’s sudden change in attitude toward Chu Junlie was suspicious. It was as if only one key piece was missing to connect all the dots.

Si Yunyi had long known that Madam Yan was a skilled actress. In the novel, the Yan family were the culprits who pushed Chu Junlie into the abyss. When Chu Junlie eventually regained his memory and came back to settle the score, Madam Yan’s acting instantly reached its peak.

Tearfully, Madam Yan described how unwilling the Yan family had been about this marriage alliance. If not for the Si family’s power and oppression, they would never have allowed Chu Junlie to marry into their family.

Before Chu Junlie could even process it, Madam Yan went on, eyes brimming with tears, painting a tragic scene of how they had picked him up back then—emphasizing that, if not for their compassion, he would have died by the roadside and never lived to see this day.

Even so, the vengeful Chu Junlie did not forgive Yan An. Just as he was about to take him away, Madam Yan knelt at his feet, clutching his pants as she cried bitterly, putting on a performance that magnified the glow of maternal love to its fullest.

Chu Junlie, who had lost his own parents at an early age, wavered when he saw Madam Yan—whom he had once called “mother”—acting like this. In the end, he let Yan An go and never looked back at their family.

The Yan family narrowly escaped disaster, only to soon hear of the Si family’s destruction. Like greedy rats, they stripped every resource left behind, shamelessly taking everything while Chu Junlie was too busy to intervene, scavenging the Si family’s remains until nothing was left.

In the end, they reaped all the benefits.

The Yan family never acted without profit in sight. In the dream, after marrying Chu Junlie into their family, they would have ignored his life or death. Yet now, they had taken on the engagement banquet themselves—reportedly hosting it with great extravagance.

With only two days until the engagement banquet, the Yan family’s sudden attitude shift toward Chu Junlie, in Si Yunyi’s understanding, was likely no more than a carefully staged “family affection trap,” waiting for him to fall in.

Given Chu Junlie’s current state of mind, he might not believe what others said about the Yans anyway. Better to let him discover it himself.

“Sir.” Assistant Xu, seeing Si Yunyi deep in thought with lowered eyes, searched for recent news about the Yan family on his tablet and came upon something new.

“One of the Yan family’s medical cosmetic hospitals was robbed. They’re now working with the police to check what was stolen.”

A medical cosmetic hospital?

Si Yunyi’s eyes darkened as he quickly unlocked his phone.

“Brother, this is the invitation.”

Yan An smiled brightly as he handed a red invitation card with gold trim and a red tassel to Chu Junlie. When Chu Junlie received it, he felt its substantial weight.

“Brother, please don’t blame Mom.” Yan An sat across from him, his gaze sincere as he explained.

“We all thought Brother had only been in Hongcheng for a short time and didn’t have close friends here, so when we sent out the invitations, we forgot to leave a few for you.”

“Yes, it was my oversight,” Madam Yan also came over, her expression soft.

Chu Junlie instinctively shifted sideways, putting distance between himself and Madam Yan’s sudden show of warmth.

“Brother, just tell me the names of the friends you want to invite, and I’ll write them on the invitations for you.”

Yan An eagerly stood up, pen in hand, reaching toward the card in Chu Junlie’s hands.

“No need.” Chu Junlie pulled back, his gaze edged with wariness.

“I’ll write it myself.”

Yan An’s hand faltered midair, his face turning a little pale. He bit his lip and sat back in his seat.

Yan An resembled Madam Yan in eight parts out of ten—soft brown short hair, fair skin, and bright almond-shaped eyes that made his face look smaller. He already looked harmless, and now, showing a trace of grievance, it made Madam Yan unable to hold back from speaking for her younger son.

“Junlie, perhaps you don’t know—your brother was actually abroad. As soon as he heard you were getting married, he got on a plane overnight to come back. These past few days, he’s been helping us prepare for your engagement banquet, and he hasn’t uttered a single complaint.”

Madam Yan lifted her eyes toward the invitation in Chu Junlie’s hand. “Even the style of these invitations was chosen personally by your brother for you. He didn’t care how much it cost—he only wanted to make you happy.”

Chu Junlie lowered his gaze to the card in his hand, realizing it was indeed expensive.

“Brother, all those things before… it was because I was young and immature.” Yan An’s voice weakened a little. “Now that you’re about to leave, I realize I can’t bear it. I finally see how excessive I was in the past.”

Mother and son exchanged glances when Chu Junlie remained silent. Yan An then walked over, placing the pen in front of him.

“If Brother wants to write the invitations himself, then go ahead. Everything I’ve done was only to ask you to give me another chance. Whether or not you forgive me, at the engagement banquet, I will truly be happy for you.”

Chu Junlie looked at the pen in front of him. After a moment’s hesitation, he opened the invitation and wrote down Grandpa Chang’s name on it.

Mother and son exchanged a glance when they saw the name.

“Brother, is this your only friend? Do you want me to bring you a few more invitations?” Yan An asked sweetly, looking at him.

“Just this one.” Chu Junlie closed the card and gazed at the large red character ‘Happiness’ on the cover, his fingers unconsciously rubbing over it.

Thinking of the person he was about to be engaged to, a genuine joy rose in his eyes. Just the thought that once the engagement was sealed, he could live together with Mr. Si, made him press his lips together to hide his burning excitement.

To see Mr. Si every day, to live by his side—how happy that would be.

“Brother.” Yan An watched his expression, forcing down the jealousy in his own eyes, his lips curving into a cute smile.

“I saw a foreign movie a few days ago. The groom ran away from his wedding for a million. If it were you, Brother, if someone gave you a million, would you run away?”

Chu Junlie gave him a puzzled look.

“Why would I run away?”

“But that’s a million! You could buy so many things, live in your own house, stop working so hard…” Yan An’s eyes widened as he stared at him.

“Brother, don’t you want a million?”

Chu Junlie shook his head quickly.

“Then two million?” Yan An leaned forward eagerly, searching his face.

When Chu Junlie kept shaking his head, Yan An bit his lip. “What about five million, is that enough?”

Chu Junlie instinctively leaned back, putting distance between himself and the boy. Seeing the red glint in Yan An’s eyes, he slowly but firmly shook his head again.

“An’an!” Madam Yan stood quickly, calling out to her son, who was on the verge of losing composure. She smiled as she patted his back, pulling him back to his seat.

“Look at you, getting bewitched by a movie. How can movies compare to real life?” She turned a smiling face to Chu Junlie. “Isn’t that right, Junlie?”

“I should go now.” Chu Junlie stood uncomfortably, but Madam Yan pressed him down.

“Junlie, you haven’t even had a glass of water. How can you leave like this? Stay, let’s have a meal together. We can also talk properly about the engagement banquet.”

“Oh, Mom, didn’t you make pear soup this morning?” Yan An suddenly spoke as if remembering. “I’ll bring it over for Brother to taste.”

He ran off to the kitchen, Madam Yan following quickly after, calling out behind him.

“An’an, it needs to be reheated, let me do it!”

Watching the mother and son leave, Chu Junlie unconsciously let out a breath of relief. He lowered his head and looked again at the invitation in his hand, a smile appearing on his lips.

In the kitchen, the mother and son fought over a glass cup. At the bottom of it shimmered a thin layer of colorless liquid. Madam Yan’s eyes were grave.

“An’an, let me handle this. You’re still a child. If it’s discovered, I’ll take all the blame alone!”

“Mom, no one will ever find out. Chu Junlie only has one friend in Hongcheng and doesn’t know anyone else. If he disappears, nobody will even notice. I heard even the Si family doesn’t like him. By then, we just have to say he didn’t want the marriage and ran away. Nobody will suspect us.”

“An’an, listen. I have experience. If you really do something like this, you’ll never forget it for the rest of your life. Let me do it.”

With force, Madam Yan snatched the cup away.

“All the invitations are already sent out, and news of the Si–Yan engagement has spread through Hongcheng. Once Chu Junlie disappears, you and I will go to Master Si. Out of respect for your grandfather, he will surely agree to let you take Junlie’s place.” Madam Yan drew a deep breath, wiped the glass clean, and set it on a tray.

“And what about Brother Yunyi—will he agree?” Yan An stared at the cup, his eyes flickering with both nervousness and irrepressible excitement.

“That depends on your own skills.” Madam Yan steadied her breath, put on a gentle smile, and walked out of the kitchen.

Chu Junlie sat in the living room for a while before Madam Yan approached, carrying the tray and her usual smile. She poured the freshly cooked pear soup into the glass and handed it over.

“Junlie, I may not have prepared it well—it might be a little too sweet, please don’t mind.”

“You’re not having any?” Chu Junlie glanced at the pear soup in front of him.

“Mom is biased, she won’t pour me any,” Yan An laughed, hugging Madam Yan’s arm. He brought his own cup forward for her to fill.

Yan An then deliberately drank the pear soup in front of Chu Junlie. After a few gulps, he wrinkled his nose and set the cup down, looking at his mother with mock complaint.

“Mom, you really did put in too much sugar.”

“I must be getting senile.” Madam Yan chuckled and looked at Chu Junlie. “Junlie, why don’t you try?”

Under her gaze, Chu Junlie lifted the pear soup. The sweet aroma of snow pears reached him. Just as he was about to touch it to his lips, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

With both of them watching, he set the cup down and pulled out his phone. Mr. Si had just “patted” him again, and then the video call ringtone began to play.

It was the first time Mr. Si had ever called him on video!

Flustered, Chu Junlie smoothed his hair quickly and answered.

“Mr. Si.” He looked at the man on the screen with a radiant smile.

“Brother Yunyi?!” Yan An exclaimed in delight, unable to stop himself from leaning closer to see the phone screen.

The man on the screen was exactly as he remembered—cool brows and distant eyes, carrying a lingering charm that kept others at arm’s length, yet breathtakingly captivating.

Si Yunyi stared at the “close brothers” in the video for a quiet moment. Then, realizing something, Chu Junlie quickly shifted his body away, even from the boy who called himself his brother.

“Mr. Si, did you need something?” His eyes shone with uncontainable joy, his tone obedient. At the same time, one hand subtly blocked Yan An, preventing him from leaning in again, as he stood and sidestepped.

“I want you to come to the Si residence for dinner tomorrow.” Si Yunyi glanced at the background behind Chu Junlie. “Before the engagement, you should get to know my family.”

“Yes, Mr. Si!” Chu Junlie nodded eagerly, once again twisting his body to avoid Yan An, who kept trying to peek at the screen.

“Brother Yunyi!” Yan An quickly spoke up when he heard the voice from the video. “Can I go to the Si residence too? I haven’t seen Grandpa Si in so long!”

Si Yunyi’s gaze lingered on the cup behind Chu Junlie, his expression calm as ever.

“You can accompany Chu Junlie tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Brother Yunyi!” Yan An nearly jumped with excitement at the answer.

Si Yunyi said no more and ended the call. Chu Junlie clutched his phone, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

“Brother Yunyi treats you so well,” Yan An said, staring intently at the man before him. “He’s afraid you won’t be familiar with his family at the engagement banquet, so he even invited you to the old Si residence for dinner.”

Chu Junlie couldn’t help but smile, lifting the pear soup from the table and taking a sip to hide his happiness.

Yan An’s expression shifted. Remembering what had just been said in the video, he suddenly raised his hand and forcefully knocked the pear soup from Chu Junlie’s grip.

The glass crashed to the floor with a crisp sound, rolling aside as the soup spilled everywhere, nearly splashing Madam Yan.

Chu Junlie froze for a moment, then turned his head toward Yan An.

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